Bottega: quality Prosecco and Prosecco Rosé 
Book 5 Index 
951. Mullineux, Syrah Swartland, 2011 
950. W & J Graham & Co, 30 Year Old Tawny Port, NV (2010) 
949. Cartuxa, Pêra-Manca Branco Évora, 2012 
948. Pella, Xi-Ro Cuvée Experimentale, NV Cabernet Sauvignon
597. Château Soussans, Margaux, 2005
Another Friday night Booker wine, and another nice one. Just coming into its drinking window now, it’ll probably peak in 3 years as its …
586. Macià Batle, P. de Maria Binissalem Mallorca, 2007
Picked up whilst ‘exploring’ The VineYard in Dorking. My first Mallorcan wine, from more-or-less the only DO (Binissalem), and the only major producer. Modern, …
Napa: exceptional Cabernets, and exaggerated too
Napa Valley, the Big Daddy of California wines, is today world-famous for Big Cabs and Bold Chardonnays, landmark wineries and the Napa Valley Wine …
Paso Robles to Santa Cruz Mountains: Central Coast diversity
Paso Robles to the Santa Cruz Mountains – or ‘the rest of the Central Coast’, between Santa Barbara County and the city of San …
California wine: the Golden State shines brightly
California wine is synonymous with US wine. For many it is US wine. Fortunately, the fine Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs of Oregon, the Bordeaux …
562. Château Fourcas Dupré, Listrac-Médoc, 1994
A poorly-regarded vintage. A lesser commune of Bordeaux. And a wine rated 75-77 by Robert Parker. So what’s the point of drinking & describing …
559. Château Cantenac-Brown, Margaux Grand Cru Classé, 2000
I’ve taken an older Cantenac Brown label off and it was a mammoth and painful task… For the 2000 I just tore it too …
554. Ridge Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mountains, 2003
A wine to drink on its own, since it has that Cali sweet flavour profile, rather than savoury. But above all, the altitude shines …
549. Château de Parenchère, Bordeaux Supérieur Cuvée Raphaël, 2007
An unexpected, completely blind tasting courtesy of SJ – and the first I’d done for about a year. I think I got lucky, but …
548. Château de Claribès, Sainte Foy Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, 2005
This was an unexpected gift from the people we stayed with in Henley 2010, where the husband Andy explained that a friend had established …